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That resulted, according to their sources, in the front man leaving the Nigel Doughty Academy “visibly irritated”.

The Mail does add that sources say the 31-year-old “knows his body fully and would play if at all possible”, and that boss Martin O’Neill has stepped in “to mediate the situation”, with a resolution now being found.

Top scorer Grabban, though, has responded to the claims – and quickly moved to dismiss them.

Quoting a tweet about the story from Mail reporter Laurie Whitwell which said, “There has been friction between Lewis Grabban and #nffc physios over his Achilles injury. Martin O’Neill has stepped in to resolve”, Grabban wrote: “Nonsense.”

Before the weekend’s 2-0 defeat at Stoke City, O’Neill said of Grabban: “Lewis is no closer, which is a disappointment to us. He is no closer at the moment.

“He has had another injection to help alleviate it. We hope that will go a long way to help him.

“But it is one of those where he just needs a little bit of rest.”

And the manager added he hopes the injury could be resolved in the summer.

“Yes, without question it is,” he said. “It is a matter of rest and at the minute he has been trying to play through the pain barrier.

“We do not want to do anyone damage. That would be a pointless exercise.”

Grabban, who switched to the City Ground last summer, has netted 16 goals in 33 appearances for the Reds so far this summer, becoming a key player in their bid to push for the play-offs.